SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION TASK FORCE
Science Coordination Team

ANNOUNCEMENT OF WORKSHOP

Integrating Agricultural and Ecological Solutions in South Florida

April 28-29, 1999

Clayton Hutcheson Agricultural Center

West Palm Beach, Florida

Who is invited:

  • Members of the Agricultural and Ecological Research Communities
  • Agricultural Producers and Organizations
  • Members of the Environmental Community
  • Interested Parties

Workshop Objectives:

To develop an agricultural research plan that will lead to the development of technically sound and economically viable cultivation and tillage methods, plant materials, pest control approaches, agronomic strategies, and water-management practices that will maintain agriculture as a sustainable part of the South Florida landscape, while contributing positively to ecosystem restoration. Some major research objectives to guide this research plan are:

  1. Enable agricultural lands to provide important hydrologic functions to adjacent natural ecosystems similar to those that were provided by these same lands prior to their use for agriculture.

  2. Enable agricultural lands to provide important hydrological and water quality functions in an integrated landscape of urban, agricultural, and natural areas.

  3. Reduce nutrient loads from agricultural areas to downstream receiving waters and marshes.

  4. Preserve, accrete, or accumulate organic soils.

  5. Create and enhance habitat for native wildlife within the agricultural landscape.

  6. Reduce the negative impact of agricultural pesticides released to the environment.

  7. Improve the competitiveness of native plants in the nursery industry.

  8. Increase agricultural diversity (crops, products, participants).

Tentative Program

  • April 28 -- Morning Session -- Presentations on Current Activities.

  • April 28 -- Afternoon Session -- Presentations on Needs and Opportunities

  • April 29 -- Morning Session -- Facilitated Breakout Groups to Develop Plans

  • April 29 -- Afternoon Session -- Finalize Recommendations

Registration will be required. Lunch will be served to workshop participants on both days.

Please check back to this site for full details and registration information!

     

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